The Night Calls for Company
by Sweet Sundays
Summary: Sequel to Hush; Bruce's new assistant Selina Kyle isn't who she says she is and Barb is on to her with news of a new Jewellery thief in town. Selina's seductive charm is having an effect on Bruce and Batman and taking a toll on his relationship w/ Barb
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

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><p>Tom stood at the foot of Barbs bed, scalpel in hand and a smile on his face. "I told you I'd come for you again love"<p>

Barb shook her head "No.. you dyed"

Tom smiled "That's right, thanks to you. So how does it feel to take a life. The rush of energy you get knowing they died. Does Bruce look at you the same way after what happened? Your no better than me love" Tom kneeled onto the bed and crawled on top of Barb

She tried to push him off but felt her hand wet when she touched her chest. She pulled it away to find blood on her hand from the gunshot wound on Toms chest.

"That's never going to go away love, neither is the memory of you killing me" he said

"You know what's better than taking a life? Making love after the fact" he said leaning into to kiss her

Barb shot straight up in bed in a cold sweat fighting to breathe. It was another nightmare.

Bruce sat up with a worried look on his face, knowing exactly what was wrong. He ran his hand down her back resting his chin on his shoulder "It was just a dream Barb" he whispered

She tried to calm down as she nodded. He was right it was just a dream. She ran her hand through her sweaty hair as Bruce gently pulled her back down and into her arms.

He sighed "Still having the same dreams again.." he said. Barb didn't talk much about her dreams but shed been having nightmares about Tom since she shot him almost a month ago.

Bruce tried to get her to open up but he didn't want to smother her. It was a big step for her to talk to someone; she started seeing Dr Adams, Harvey's therapist about what had happened which put Jim more at ease as well.

But Barb couldn't bring herself to talk about it to Bruce. She felt guilty for shooting Tom, she knew that's not what Bruce would have done, Bruce didn't believe in killing people and she had shot Tom without hesitation.

It wasn't the same dream every night. They'd be different, Barb wondered why. Sometimes it was he's come back and actually did rape her, or he'd shoot Bruce.

Barb nodded "Sorry I woke you" she said

Bruce ran his hand through her hair "Don't apologize. I want to be there for you Barb"

Barb didn't answer.

"Did Doctor Adams give you any tips on coping with the dreams?" Bruce asked

Barb nodded "That I should try and fixate on something that calms me down and makes me happy"

"Ok let's try thinking about that right now. What is it?" he asked

"I'm on a yacht" She began as she shut her eyes

"Ok.." Bruce said with a small smile "Where are you on this yacht?"

"Sailing through the Caribbean islands," she answered

"Sounds romantic, is there a traveling companion with you?" Bruce asked

"Alfred is there" Barb smiled

"Because he's tons of fun" Bruce said as Barb nudged him

"You and I are sailing through the Caribbean just the two of us" Barb stated "And no one else is there, and we have our own little island with a bungalow and our days are filled with nothing but swimming, sailing, eating and.." she stopped "You get the picture"

Bruce smiled at the thought. He liked Barbs picture of serenity and wanted to make that a reality for her. He continued stroking her hair "It's sunny every day, and there's an endless supply of food, no phones, no paper, no Wayne enterprises" Bruce added in

Barb smiled as she drifted off to sleep again "That's my picture of happiness" she said

'Mine too.." Bruce said watching her sleep.

Barb sat across the table from her father rolling her eyes at the look he was giving her. He was watching her ready to jump at any sign of danger. She felt like she could drop her knife or else Jim would draw his gun

"Dad.." she sighed

"What?" Jim asked innocently

"You're doing it again.." she said

Jim shrugged "I'm just worried Barbara"

She shook her head "You don't have to be dad. I'm fine I just need time"

Barb lost her appetite and sat back feeling like a child. "You all just keep pushing expecting I'll wake up one morning like nothing happened" she added "Its to much"

Jim looked away "I'm sorry. I just, I hate that you had to go through that. I blame myself for leaving you alone"

Barb didn't realize Jim was blaming himself "Dad, you didn't know…You thought…we all thought we were safe at Bruce's"

Jim nodded "I know. But nothing shakes you up more than almost loosing a child…twice" he remembered Harvey holding a gun to little Jimmy

Barb rested her hand on top of Jims "Dad I don't blame you for happened that night, Jimmy doesn't blame you for what happened back then. Please be patient" she pleaded

Jim nodded looking away.

Barb strode through the office. Her employees still watched her with anxious expressions. The whispers hadn't died down since she shot Tom. They weren't scared of her, every paper and the police ruled out that she shot him in self-defense and there was no need for further investigation.

Bruce's house wasn't even searched which put him at ease, not that anyone would find anything but as soon as Jim heard Bruce and Barb's story he closed the case and no one argued.

Every paper wrote about the story which put a lot of attention on Barb, not that she shot and killed the hush killer, but more on the fact that she was dating a serial killer and was non the wiser. She would have to live with those stories for the rest of her life and she was already exhausted.

As she came into her office and sat down at her desk she was followed in by Andrea, her personal assistant and Mickey her cover reporter.

"Your dad tell you?" Mickey asked

Barb was confused "Tell me what?"

"There's a jewelry thief in town" Mickey said with a smile "And their good.."

Barb rolled her eyes at Mickey's excitement "Mick why is it that whenever something bad comes up in this city you treat it as you've just won the lottery"

"This person, or group whoever they are hit 5 jewelry stores in one night and the craziest part is they got by the laser motion detectors in one store, the armed security team in two and there's nothing on the video surveillance footage"

Barb sat straight "How do you know this?"

Mickey shrugged "I pass by one of the stores on my way to work in the morning. They had no idea until the manager came in this morning. They think it was the security team but they're claiming innocence"

Barb looked up at Mickey "Run the story but leave out your theory about Gotham having a jewel thief on the loose"

Mickey nodded leaving. Andrea stayed behind giving Barb her messages and a copies of Gotham's other newspapers.

"More stories about me and Hush" she read the headlines dropping one paper at a time "Cant they write about something else for a change"

Andrea was about to speak but Barb put up her hand "If you ask me how I'm doing I'm going to fire you" she looked up at Andrea

She handed barb her messages "Bruce called" She said "3 times"

Barb sighed "Thanks Andrea"

Andrea nodded walking out. Barb wasn't going to call Bruce back because she knew how the conversation would go, as it did every morning when he called. Asking her how she was doing.

She needed to get out and do something different. She looked on her desk and saw Mickey's draft for the jewelry heist story. She grabbed her jacket and walked out of her office.

Barb stood across the street staring at Gotham City's finest jewelry stores. The kind where customers were granted entry through a bulletproof door and had to ring a buzzer where management deemed you approved to come inside.

There were video cameras around the building. It was virtually impossible for anyone to get in without being noticed.

She saw her father and crossed the street "Dad.." she called

Jim turned to see Barb "Hi Barb..listen I cant talk about this here ok" Jim said

Barb nodded "Its ok I just wanted to take a look"

"Are you printing the story?" he asked

Barb nodded "Just that 5 stores were ripped off in one night, and the suspects are the security companies. Nothing about a possible jewel thief on the loose"

Jim nodded "There's no proof, no need to scare the city again so soon"

Barb nodded "Have you seen the tapes?"

Jim nodded "Made a copy for Batman as well. I assume he's looking into this as well"

Barb nodded "Ok well I won't keep you but I cant say I'm going to keep my distance" she said with a smile

"This is new. You've never really taken an interest in investigative reporting" Jim noticed

Barb shrugged "Wanted to try something different"

Jim nodded "Stay out of trouble and out of the way" he said with a small smile

Barb nodded complying

After Barb looked around the jewelry store she went to see Bruce at the office. Feeling bad she ignored his calls this morning she wanted to bring him lunch.

As she got up to the top floor a new assistant greeted her. She was tall and beautiful with dark brown hair and pale skin. Her demeanor showed she wasn't interested in letting Barb into see Bruce.

"Can I help you" she said uninterested

Barb tried to smile despite her rudeness "Is Bruce in by any chance?" she asked

Barb wondered where Tracey had gone. The always polite 48 year old with two kids and a husband went. Barb wasn't normally intimidated by other women but she was different. Something about her made Barb defensive. Her eyes were cold and had a deceiving look to them.

"He's in a meeting.." She said simply

Barb smiled "He tells you to say to everyone when really he's in there playing solitaire"

The new assistant didn't share in the humor of Bruce's work ethic. She stood awkwardly "Ok then, could you just tell him Barbara Gordon is here?"

She raised an eyebrow "Barbara Gordon…as in Commissioner Gordon's daughter? So how does it feel knowing you slept with a serial killer?" she asked vindictively

Her question took Barb back "Excuse me?"

Just as Barb was going to confront her Bruce came out of his office with Lucius Fox, his business manager. He was surprised to see Barb as he smiled "Barb what a surprise" he smiled

"Hello Barbra, nice to see you again" Lucius smiled

Barb tossed Bruce his lunch and turned for the elevator. "Barb wait.." Bruce called out

Barb turned to face him as the elevator doors shut.

Bruce was confused as to why Barb stormed out so quickly. He turned to his new assistant Selina who sat just as shocked as they were

"I told her you were in a meeting and she got really upset" Selina lied "I'm sorry, should I have let her in?"

Bruce nodded "Its ok it's not your fault Selina, Barb is just going through a hard time. Next time if there is a next time, maybe just buzz me and let me know she's here"

Selina nodded apologetically.

Bruce went back to his office to call Barb.

Barb stormed down the street angry about Bruce's new assistant. No one made her feel as small as she did. She wondered why Bruce never said anything about Tracey leaving and him getting a new assistant.

Her phone started to ring and knowing it was Bruce she answered, "That's some assistant you have"

"Barb I'm sorry. I told her to tell everyone I was in a meeting, she didn't know you were the exception" Bruce tried to calm her down

Barb sighed figuring she would make up some excuse. She sighed not wanting to tell Bruce what else she had said and get into a long discussion about Tom again. She let it go.  
>"Its alright" she said "Just when did you get a new assistant?"<p>

"Today is her first day. Tracey decided she needed to spend more time with her family and I completely agree so I gave her two weeks pay without having to give her two weeks and had the temp agency send Selina over"

Selina Barb thought, what a name for someone like her "oh.." she said

She could tell Bruce was sensing jealousy "Barb.."

"I have to get back to work, my father has something for you though, you might want to pay him a visit later on tonight" She said

"Ok" he sounded curious "Will I see you later?" he asked

"I'm not sure. I have my appointment with Doctor Adams then I'm having dinner with Harvey" Barb said "I think what my dad has will be keeping you busy, it sure is at the paper"

"What is it?" He asked

"I'll let Jim tell you himself. I have to go," she said swiftly hanging up the phone.

She was filled with jealousy and Bruce's attitude about it wasn't helping her. Something about that Selina woman turned Barb the wrong way.

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><p>Please Review!<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

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><p>"So what was this last dream about" Dr Adams sat across from Barb in a leather chair<p>

Barb refrained from lying down on the couch; instead she always opted for sitting against the end of the couch curled up with her feet under her bum.

"Tom was in my room, telling me that I was a killer, just like him" Barb admitted

"And was he physical in this dream?" she asked

Barb shook her head "No, well he kissed me and that's when I woke up"

Dr. Adams nodded writing notes "Sometimes when the people in our dreams are telling us things, its really a way of our subconscious telling us something. So do you think you're a killer Barbara?" she asked

Barb looked at her hands and thought about her answer "I don't know" she said

"Taking a life is bound to have an effect on someone somehow." She added

Barb nodded "I don't think I'm a killer." She looked up "I did what I thought I had to, which was defend myself and Bruce and Alfred"

Dr. Adams nodded "You're right. But somehow you don't seem to convinced"

"I guess I had this idea that I got from someone that in the fight against justice and good and evil that those who were good separated themselves from the evil by not killing" She looked down knowing Bruce saw her differently

"Are you afraid the people you love are looking at you differently now that you've killed someone?"

Barb couldn't help but chuckle "Have you read the papers?"

"I mean the people in your life. Your father, Bruce, Harvey?" Dr Adams asked

Barb looked down

"What about Batman?" Dr Adams asked

Barb looked up

"Do you think he sees you differently now? You mentioned earlier that you and him share some sort of bond since the story you did on him"

Barb nodded confirming "I guess I got that ideal from him, that the only way to have an impact in this fight was to separate ourselves from those who killed. He sticks to that so well and I did it without hesitation" Barb confessed

"I'm sure there are those that have died, not by Batman's hands but those that he didn't not choose to save" she thought "Barbara, your choices were motivated by instinct and by the will to act, to defend yourself against someone who would have done the same"

Barb nodded "but there's always those who think they would have acted differently in the situation"

"Like whom? Bruce?" Dr Adams asked, "Does he feel that way?"

Barb shrugged "I'm not sure. He says the same thing everyone else says that it was self defense but I think he would have done differently" she knew he would have

"How are the two of you doing since that day?" She asked

Barb looked at her hands again smiling nervously "Good." She said simply

"Do you talk about this with him?" She asked

Barb shrugged "I guess I'm worried that I'm becoming too needy with it. I don't want to burden him with my problems"

"You think that you would? He was there too" she reasoned

"I know. But he keeps asking me the same question everyone else does. How am I doing today? Like he's expecting one day that I'll just get over it all" Barb answered

"Have you told him how you felt?"

"No" she shook her head "I guess it's all with me not wanting to burden him or start an argument"

"You said you could tell Bruce anything and he the same. Why do you feel like you can't talk to him about this?"

"I guess because I put him through so much before I found out about Tom, when we were dating I told Bruce things that weren't true to hurt him"

"You said the two of you moved passed that"

Barb nodded "Guess its all part of the package" she sighed with a forced smile

"Did you see Bruce today?" Dr Adams asked

Barb nodded annoyed remembering her run in with Bruce's new assistant.

"You look agitated. Did you two get into an argument?"

Barb sighed thinking about Selina and the attitude she wore, and the feeling Barb got looking at her. "No. But I did storm off. I wasn't myself today when I went to see him"

"Why not"

Barb straightened out in her seat "He has this new assistant, Selina" she began

Dr Adams nodded

"She just had this air about you that rubbed me the wrong way. And she said something that.." barb didn't want to get into it

"What did she say to you"

Barb shut her eyes trying to refrain from crying, "She asked me how it felt to sleep with a serial killer"

"Harsh words coming from someone whom you just met" Dr Adams noted

Barb nodded

"Was that all that upset you about her?"

"No" Barb shook her head "She just looked as if she wanted to rip my eyes out with her nails" she couldn't help but smile at the ridiculous thought

"Tell me, what did she look like?"

Barb rolled her eyes "She was beautiful, dark hair, pale skin, brown eyes. She had this sultry look to her that she could just look at a man and they would be at her beckon call"

Dr Adams nodded "Are you jealous that someone like her is working for your boyfriend?"

Barbs eyes widened "What no.." she argued

Dr Adams wasn't convinced "What was Bruce's previous assistant like?"

"Tracey? She was great, always so friendly"

"how old was she?" Dr Adams asked

"47 or 48" Barb answered

Dr Adams nodded "Not exactly the sultry look his new assistant has"

Barb shook her head "I'm not jealous of Bruce's new assistant.." Barb said

Dr Adams gave Barb a small smile "Maybe you aren't but Barbara you are trying to bury your emotions about Tom and your pushing Bruce away in the process. He wouldn't still be with you if he didn't want to see you move on and want to help. This new assistant of his might b helping you push him further and causing unnecessary conflict"

Barb looked at Dr Adams unimpressed she got all that out in an hour

"Times up" Dr Adams said with a smile "I'll see you next week"

Barb smiled when she saw Harvey sitting at the table "I'm sorry I hope I didn't keep you waiting long" Barb said approaching the table

Harvey stood to hug her with a smile "Don't be sorry I just got here" they both sat down

Barb sighed feeling like she could relax "How was your appointment with Ruth Adams?" Harvey asked

Barb nodded "It was ok. That women does not miss a thing"

Harvey nodded "Everything is going well with her?"

Barb nodded a little apprehensive "I guess its like ripping off an band aid after the wound has healed, you don't want to but you know its time"

"But it hasn't healed.." Harvey pointed out

Barb looked down "I know, but I know in time it will"

Harvey tried to give her a reassuring smile "That's a good way to look at it"

Barb smiled.

"So where's Bruce off to tonight?" Harvey asked with a grin.

Harvey still always will wonder Bruce's timing that night at Barbara's apartment. Bruce arriving as if he was watching the event unfold made Harvey wonder if he was indeed Batman. But then he thought Bruce and his aloof personality and couldn't picture someone like Bruce Wayne spending his nights protecting Gotham.

Barb nodded "He's working still" she was glad it was at his other job and not with Selina.

Harvey noted Barb's demeanor "Something happen between you two?"

She shook her head "No. Just met his new assistant today" she said

"What happened to Tracey?"

Barb shrugged "quit to be with her family" she took a drink "Hey maybe you can take out this new one so she wont hit on Bruce"

Harvey laughed "Barbara I'm not some escort service"

Barb looked down realizing her thought might have been a bit too heavy for Harvey still "Sorry. Too soon I guess"

Harvey shook his head "No actually I was thinking about that earlier today, Rachel would have wanted me to get back out there and be happy again with someone. I just need to remember how to do that" he said

Barb smiled with a nod "You'll find it again. Its like riding a bike I hear"

Batman stood on the roof of the MCU reading through the file Gordon gave him. Inside were the video surveillance footage.

"5 banks in one night.." Even batman was in disbelief that someone could pull that off

"The security company claims that all their guys have immaculate records and have done a search on them all and nothing has come up" Jim explained

"Whoever this thief is, they have expensive taste. There's one more store in Gotham that sells rare jewelry, maybe they'll hit it tonight"

Jim nodded "we have a team set up at the rest that haven't been hit yet"

Batman nodded "keep me posted"

Jim nodded as he watched Batman hop on the ledge "Wait," Jim called

Jim sighed "Have you seen her?" he asked meaning Barb

Batman turned silent

"I'm worried. She killed someone. That sits with someone for the rest of their lives" Jim said

"She thinks you see her differently, she thinks we all do" Jim added

"Barb did what she had to do. Tom would have killed someone if she hadn't" He said thinking of Barb or Alfred, or even himself

"She's one of the few good people in this city that are fighting for what's good. Nothing will change my opinion of your daughter commissioner" Batman nodded as he jumped from the ledge

Jim sighed, "I hope she realizes that" he said to himself

Batman stood on the roof of the jewelry store in hopes of catching a glimpse of whoever was robbing the stores. He couldn't help but be distracted by Barb and his worry for her and wondering when she was going to let him in.

"My my if it isn't the big bad bat" Batman turned to face the one responsible for the thefts

She stood tall in a skin tight black suit. She was a cat? Bruce couldn't judge "Seems your taste in jewelry is going to have to be scaled down a bit. You're not robbing this store" he said

She laughed "Oh but you see I already have.." she swung a black velvet bag around her hand

"Who are you" Batman asked, "No one can get through a security system like the one down there"

She held her hand on her chest "I my dear can be your fantasy, or your worst nightmare" she smirked stepping towards him "No one can get through that system who isn't me"

Her eyes were seductive along with the way she moved in that suit.

"If you give back the jewels and stop this hobby of yours you can escape some serious jail time" Batman tried to reason

The Catwoman stepped towards him placing her hands on his chest running her hands down his body. "Oh you fill the suit out nicely" she said

Batman stepped away trying to avoid her stare. "Give me the jewels"

She shook her head "Didn't say the magic word.."

Her lips pressed together with each word. She eradiated sexuality that Bruce couldn't ignore. She was different than the other masked criminals he's met. She wasn't driven by rage or mental in capabilities. It was something else entirely and she was using her sexuality as a cover.

"Who are you" Bruce asked again

She chuckled "Who are you?"

"I'm Batman" he answered

"And who is that behind the mask" she asked again

"You show me and I'll show you.." batman answered

She stepped towards him again, her body centimeters from his "Id love to stick around and play this little game with you but I've got places to go and people to see. Hope we can meet again, preferably without our clothes on" she winked skipping away

Bruce turned taking out one of his baterrangs and secured it to a wire connected to his belt and threw it towards the masked woman. The device wrapped around her feet tripping her to the ground as Batman stepped over to her.

She hissed struggling to free herself. "Not without the jewels" he grabbed the bag from her hands and got up and began for the ledge.

Before Bruce knew it there was a snap and his feet were clasped together and he was on the ground. He rolled to his back as the women stepped over him kneeling down on top of him.

"Not how I imagined our first time to be" she said

Bruce didn't move. She ran her ran over his mask, he wasn't afraid of her pulling it off knowing she had something to hide as well. She leaned into closer to his face.

"They call me Catwoman" she whispered "Like I said I can either be your fantasy, or your worst nightmare. Choice is your bat boy" She planted her lips on his running her hands down his chest

Bruce couldn't fight her and with that he felt a stinging pain in his side as he yelled in pain. Catwoman got to her feet with a laugh grabbing the bag as she disappeared.

Bruce looked down to find her claw in his side. With a deep breath he pulled it out and tried to spot her in the night but she was gone.

Bruce sat trying to regain his composure. No one had an effect on him like that before.


End file.
